CYBER SECURITY UPDATE

One of the key milestones in cyber security is the upcoming data breach laws in Australia. These laws, which come into effect in February 2018, mean that any organization that is subject to the Australian Privacy Act, must report any data breaches from that date to the Office of the Information Commissioner, and to the public.

Many SMEs won't be subject to this law, which applies to organisations with a turn-over of more than $3 million, but many will be. And whether or not it applies to you, the upshot is the same: if you are subject to a data breach, then your business will be affected, hacking the supply chain is the most common way to breach commercial security.

So what to do? The first stop should be the Australian Signal Directorate's (ASD) Essential Eight; this gives a good simple guide to protecting your data. Cyber security is not just a problem for your IT team; it is the responsibility of everybody, from the receptionist to the boss. Further details can be found at www.asd.gov.au.